Nobody needs telling that the Ghanaian music industry is in shambles, if only it exists. The so-called industry that people contend exists, is in total disarray.

One person who is doing his utmost best to sensitise Ghanaians about the nitty gritty, intricacies and operations of a music industry is musician/producer and music rights activist, Mr. Carlos Sakyi with his programme ‘Music & Copyright’ on Metro TV.

The 30-minute programme sponsored by BUSAC and Metro TV is supposed to have Mr. Sakyi with the help of some industry gurus and musicians, conscientize us on music rights, piracy, royalties, copyright laws, Payola, songwriting, producing and all.

The first three or four episodes saw Mr. Sakyi in South Africa where he interacted with some music producers, publishers and musicians.

I’ll be the first to admit that Mr. Sakyi is doing well for the industry but then, I am feeling a bit nervy and uncomfortable with the trend the programme is taking.

The show has been fraught with talk, talk and more talk. Well, talk is good, especially when they are deliberating about the resurgence and the effectiveness of the industry, but the host and his production team would concur that talking alone won’t solve the many problems besetting the industry.

It is about time the host take the talk to the streets and the fields where the actual problems persist. Let’s see ‘Music & Copyright’ move to the markets and investigate piracy, talk to cassette and CD sellers which will afford viewers and music enthusiasts the opportunity to at least, know what pirated CD’s look like and how pirates operate.

Like Mr. Sakyi did in South Africa, he should also visit some record labels, production houses and distributors and let see how they operate and their problems.

He should get to the Copyright offices, find out their working conditions, the logistics at their disposal and then find out why musicians complain about royalties always.

All I am saying is for Mr. Sakyi and his team to go to the field, talk to the real people involved and then possible solutions could be found. He can get one or two reporters who will go to the field and report on pertinent issues bedevilling the industry .

The show is indeed a God-sent one and has been gaining rave reviews since its commencement. Talk is good but too much of it becomes a nuisance. Over to you, Mr. Carlos Sakyi.

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